that had been pent up for so long and he did the same, and they were both breathless when they sat down again.
You're a madman, Jeremiah. But she didn't seem to mind, and he smiled at her.
No. Many things but not that. He looked deep into her eyes again. And you're the most spectacular woman I've ever met. I hope you know that. It's not an infatuation, not a whim. In forty-three years, I've asked only two women to marry me. And I would marry you at the next stop this train makes, if you would. And you know what? We'd be happy for the rest of our lives. I know that as sure as I know I'm sitting here. And the funny thing was that she suspected he was right.
We might be, and we might not. But I think we'd be wiser not to try.
Why?
Perhaps I'm not as brave as you. I'd rather have you as my friend. But he wasn't sure he believed that after the way she had kissed him only moments before, and to break the tension building between them again, he stood up, and went to a walnut cabinet where he had put a dozen bottles of his best wine.
Would you like a drink? I brought some of my own wine with me.
I'd love that, Jeremiah. He drew the cork and poured out two glasses of a full-bodied rich red wine, sniffed the glass, looked satisfied, and handed the first one to her.
No one will see you drink this here She wouldn't have drunk it elsewhere on the train, but she was suddenly relieved to have a glass of wine, and she was surprised at how fine it was when she took the first sip. Once again she found herself impressed with him, and she looked sadly up at him as she set down the glass.
I wish I didn't like you so damn much.
I wish you liked me more. They both laughed at that, and got off at the next stop to share a quick dinner before getting back on the train. They bought an enormous basket of fruit. Jeremiah had some cheese left over from the day before and they ate fruit and cheese and drank his wine well into the night, as they discussed the condition of the human race, and slowly began to get drunk as they laughed at it all. And somehow each of them knew that they had found a lifetime friend. She was the wisest woman he had ever met, and for the next few days he drank in every word she said, shared all of his wine with her. They ate every meal in each other's company, played cards, laughed, told jokes, shared confidences that neither of them had ever told before, and by the time they reached Atlanta, Jeremiah knew that he was more than just slightly in love with her. He was head over heels mad for her, and yet he knew at the same time that she would never agree to marry him, and he also thought he understood why. In the depths of her soul, she still hadn't given her husband up, and perhaps never would. She kept insisting that Jeremiah needed a young girl, and children of his own. He had told her about John Harte, and the two children who had died, and he had admitted to her that he wasn't sure he ever wanted to take that risk. I couldn't bear it if I lost a child. I lost a woman I loved once, Amelia, that was enough. ' This was late one night, more than halfway down his second bottle of wine, but Amelia had shaken her head at him.
You can't live in fear like that. You have to gamble a bit in life, you know that. '
Not with your heart. ' Barnaby Harte's face came to his mind again and he closed his eyes. I couldn't bear that. She had grabbed his arm.
You must. Don't miss that chance. You still have a whole life to live ' do it' dammit, don't let it pass you by. I won't let you do that. Find the right girl, go looking for her if you have to, but get what you want' what you need ' what you deserve. '
And what's that? He wasn't even sure what he wanted anymore.
A girl with fire ' with passion ' with love in her veins, a girl so alive that you almost have to tie her down to capture her.
Jeremiah laughed. Sounds like you, is that what I should do to you?
You'd better not, Jeremiah Thurston. But you know just what I mean, a
You're a madman, Jeremiah. But she didn't seem to mind, and he smiled at her.
No. Many things but not that. He looked deep into her eyes again. And you're the most spectacular woman I've ever met. I hope you know that. It's not an infatuation, not a whim. In forty-three years, I've asked only two women to marry me. And I would marry you at the next stop this train makes, if you would. And you know what? We'd be happy for the rest of our lives. I know that as sure as I know I'm sitting here. And the funny thing was that she suspected he was right.
We might be, and we might not. But I think we'd be wiser not to try.
Why?
Perhaps I'm not as brave as you. I'd rather have you as my friend. But he wasn't sure he believed that after the way she had kissed him only moments before, and to break the tension building between them again, he stood up, and went to a walnut cabinet where he had put a dozen bottles of his best wine.
Would you like a drink? I brought some of my own wine with me.
I'd love that, Jeremiah. He drew the cork and poured out two glasses of a full-bodied rich red wine, sniffed the glass, looked satisfied, and handed the first one to her.
No one will see you drink this here She wouldn't have drunk it elsewhere on the train, but she was suddenly relieved to have a glass of wine, and she was surprised at how fine it was when she took the first sip. Once again she found herself impressed with him, and she looked sadly up at him as she set down the glass.
I wish I didn't like you so damn much.
I wish you liked me more. They both laughed at that, and got off at the next stop to share a quick dinner before getting back on the train. They bought an enormous basket of fruit. Jeremiah had some cheese left over from the day before and they ate fruit and cheese and drank his wine well into the night, as they discussed the condition of the human race, and slowly began to get drunk as they laughed at it all. And somehow each of them knew that they had found a lifetime friend. She was the wisest woman he had ever met, and for the next few days he drank in every word she said, shared all of his wine with her. They ate every meal in each other's company, played cards, laughed, told jokes, shared confidences that neither of them had ever told before, and by the time they reached Atlanta, Jeremiah knew that he was more than just slightly in love with her. He was head over heels mad for her, and yet he knew at the same time that she would never agree to marry him, and he also thought he understood why. In the depths of her soul, she still hadn't given her husband up, and perhaps never would. She kept insisting that Jeremiah needed a young girl, and children of his own. He had told her about John Harte, and the two children who had died, and he had admitted to her that he wasn't sure he ever wanted to take that risk. I couldn't bear it if I lost a child. I lost a woman I loved once, Amelia, that was enough. ' This was late one night, more than halfway down his second bottle of wine, but Amelia had shaken her head at him.
You can't live in fear like that. You have to gamble a bit in life, you know that. '
Not with your heart. ' Barnaby Harte's face came to his mind again and he closed his eyes. I couldn't bear that. She had grabbed his arm.
You must. Don't miss that chance. You still have a whole life to live ' do it' dammit, don't let it pass you by. I won't let you do that. Find the right girl, go looking for her if you have to, but get what you want' what you need ' what you deserve. '
And what's that? He wasn't even sure what he wanted anymore.
A girl with fire ' with passion ' with love in her veins, a girl so alive that you almost have to tie her down to capture her.
Jeremiah laughed. Sounds like you, is that what I should do to you?
You'd better not, Jeremiah Thurston. But you know just what I mean, a
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